Manchester United could face another problem with Barcelona lining up Atalanta star Ademola Lookman as an alternative to Marcus Rashford. The Red Devils have put Rashford among the players who are not part of the club’s plan under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim has made many ruthless calls since joining the club last season, only keeping players who meet his tactical demands. The former Sporting CP manager shipped Rashford off in a loan deal to Aston Villa during the January transfer window.
However, many fans predicted Rashford’s departure as their academy player failed to improve his consistency after entering his peak years. During the 2022-23 season, Rashford displayed the consistency that is worthy of his immense potential, scoring many goals that season.
Rashford’s form earned him a new lucrative contract with his childhood club, but his one season turned into an exception. The 27-year-old enjoyed a good loan spell at Villa, once again showing his unfulfilled potential as an explosive attacking player.
However, his loan was cut short due to an untimely injury, and subsequently, Villa refused to sign the Englishman permanently. We All Follow United recently covered that Barcelona prefer Liverpool’s Luis Diaz over Rashford after failing to sign Nico Williams.
According to the Spanish publication Sports, Barcelona have shifted its attention towards Lookman, instead of pursuing Man United star Rashford. The Catalan giants find the complete package of £40m plus Rashford’s enormous wages as unrealistic due to his unreliable form.
Compared to Rashford, Lookman has enjoyed a fantastic tenure at Atalanta, helping them win the Europa League in the 2023-24 season. However, the situation once again leaves United at a disadvantage as they don’t want to waste time on outgoing players.
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At the same time, selling their undesired surplus is essential for the Red Devils due to their current financial situation. If Rashford wants to play in the 2026 World Cup, he needs to take a significant pay cut to exit. At the same time, the Red Devils could be forced to make some compromises of their own to sell the 27-year-old.